1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a slider for a slide fastener. In particular it relates to a lockable slider that can be attached to a second cooperating slider.
2. Description of the Related Art
Slide fastener sliders of the above type are well known in general. However, there is a tendency for the sliders to separate accidentally, allowing unintentional opening of the slide fastener. In order to overcome this problem, different lockable sliders have been suggested.
In EP-A-1300094 there is described a slide fastener having two sliders arranged to be slidable on a pair of interlocking stringers so as to open the fastener when separated and close the fastener when brought together. One of the sliders comprises a receiving portion and the other slider comprises a cooperating latching portion which is engagable with the receiving portion. The sliders engage and are separated by elastic deformation of the receiving and/or the latching portions as they are pushed together and pulled apart. The slider has a body portion which is formed separately from the receiving or latching portion, so that different materials may be used.
A feature of the slider described in the EP-A-1300094 is that during the latching and unlatching of two sliders, the receiving and/or the latching portion is deformed, causing wear and tear to these parts, which may lead to their failure to latch together or to their breakage.
Furthermore, during latching and, in particular, during unlatching of these sliders, a large force is exerted on the puller, which can cause a puller or the crown/bridge of a slider to which the puller is attached, to break. In general, the stronger the connection between latching sliders, the greater the force required to latch and unlatch the sliders. Hence, the likelihood of a puller or crown breaking is greater than for non-latching sliders. It is preferable to design the puller to break before the crown when excessive force is applied, and in such circumstances it is important to be able to replace a broken puller of a latching slider.
Therefore, the body portion comprising the receiving and/or the latching portion is removable, by lifting the crown/bridge of the slider body and by pulling the removable body portion from the slider body.
A problem with this arrangement is that it is difficult to remove the removable body portion from the slider body, as it is difficult to lift the crown of the slider body. This is because the slider body is conventionally made of metal or a rigid plastic, so as to withstand the wear and tear of being repeatedly moved along the elements of the slide fastener. Therefore, a large force is required to lift the crown, which makes removal of the removable body portion from the slider body awkward and which may cause breakage or permanent deformation of the crown.
Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide a slider having a readily removable body portion to enable effortless replacement of the puller or the removable body portion, the removable body portion being firmly mounted on the slider body during normal use.